Pet cemetery

The cat is going to die.

That's not a threat; the cat is fantastic, a siamese mix with a wonderful temperament whose only vice is that she can't resist a lap. No, she's going to die because she's old and her kidneys are shutting down. The vet gave her 3 months to live, and that was 9 months ago.

So every day is a gift, although of course we all take her for granted (and complain when she sheds on us). But what bothers me most isn't that she's going to die, it's that I have no idea what to do when she goes.

I've never had to bury a pet, other than fish. I've known people who cremated their pets, but I find that a little bizarre. We're in a rental house, so it seems slightly awkward to leave the cat in someone else's backyard. How deep to dig? I'm not even sure I have a shovel. Or a box. What about a plaque?

You'd think, knowing the cat is going to die, I'd be prepared for it, but in the end I'm sure I'll ignore the problem and improvise at the time.

The cat probably deserves better.